1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a compact disk (hereinafter called the "CD") ejector device capable of ejecting a CD from a CD case by one-touch operation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As shown in FIG. 14 of the accompanying drawings, a case 1 of a CD case includes a main body 1a of a transparent synthetic resin and a cover 1b, and a tray 2 forming a synthetic resin thin plate is disposed inside the case 1. A disk support portion 4 for supporting the CD 5 is disposed at the center of this tray 2 in such a manner as to flexibly expand and to engage with the center hole 5a of the CD 5.
The tray 2 defines a disk-like recess portion so as to accommodate the CD 5 and the disk support portion 4 is so formed as to protrude from the center of the tray 2. The periphery of a hole 4a opening at the center of this disk support portion 4 is arranged to protrude in the ring form as shown in FIG. 15 and equidistant grooves 4b are radially formed at the periphery of the ring-like portion. A substantial cylindrical engagement portion 3 is formed by separating protruding plates 4c having a key-shaped side section from one another by these grooves 4b and disposing plane-wise the plates 4c in a chrysanthemum shape. The CD 5 is anchored by engaging its center hole 5a with this engagement portion 3. When the center portion (of the upper surface) of the engagement portion 3 having the shape of chrysanthemum petals formed as the distal end portions of these protruding plates 4c gather together into a group is pushed, the distal end portions of the protruding plates 4c face downward, so that the outer diameter of the engagement portion 3 shrinks and the CD 5 pushed and anchored to the circumferential surface of this engagement portion 3 by the hole 5a come to be possible to be ejected.
To eject the CD 5 anchored to the engagement portion 3 provided to the center of the tray 2 from the case 1, the CD 5 is forcedly ejected from the engagement portion 3 by supporting the edge portions on both sides of the CD 5 by two fingers, or by pushing the center of the engagement portion 3 by the finger tip, so as to shrink the outer diameter of the engagement portion 3.
According to the former method, however, both hands are necessary to take out the CD 5. Moreover, because the force that causes warping of the CD 5 is imparted, the CD 5 is damaged in some cases. According to the latter, while the CD case 1 is supported by one hand and the center of the engagement portion 3 at the center of the tray 2 is pushed by the forefinger of the other hand, the CD 5 is taken out while being supported at both side edges by the finger tips of the thumb and the fifth finger. Alternatively, the CD case 1 is placed on the desk, etc, and the CD 5 is supported at both side edges by the finger tips of the thumb and the fifth finger of one of the hands and then taken out while the center portion of the engagement portion 3 of the tray 2 being pushed by the forefinger of the other hand. In either case, handling of the CD 5 is troublesome and is difficult particularly for children with small hands.
To solve the problem described above encountered when the CD is taken out from the CD case, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 12313/1995 proposes a disk anchoring structure of a CD tray.
According to this prior art reference, a push member 6 (reference numerals used in the reference will be used hereby directly) and blade-like plates 12 the distal end of which is pushed up when the push member 6 is pushed are supported at the center of a round hole 5 of a tray 1 placed inside a CD case, by support plates 8 extending from the periphery of the round hole 5 towards its center. The support plate 8 is bent into the Z shape comprising a horizontal plate portion, a vertical plate portion and another horizontal plate portion, and the vertical plate portions aligned in circle are engaged with the hole of the CD so as to support the CD on the tray 1.
To take out the CD, the push member 6 is pushed by a finger tip so as to jump up the distal end portions of the blade-like plates 12 and to push the periphery of the hole of the CD from below. Consequently, the CD anchored to the vertical plate portions of the support plates 8 can be ejected.
This disk anchoring structure is excellent in that the CD can be easily ejected from the tray 1 by pushing merely the push member 6, but because the push member 6 and the blade-like plates 12 must be disposed integrally with the CD support portion at the center of the tray 1, the structure of the tray 1 becomes complicated and the cost of production becomes high. When the tray 1 having this structure is produced, the push member 6 must be disposed integrally. Therefore, this technology cannot be applied to the CD cases that have already been put on the market. Further, when the push member 6 is cut off from the support plates 8 extending to the center of the tray 1, the CD case must be discarded as a whole. When the support plates 8 undergo deformation with the passage of time, the CD cannot be anchored any longer.